The Valerian effect
by Uncourteouslydyed
Summary: Who thought a little plant would cause so much conflict between two friends? YangXBlake - Bumbleby


"Wait," replied the dark haired faunus in her calm voice that often betrayed emotion. Yang and Ruby stopped in mid step and turned around, expectantly. "What is it?"

"We're forgetting someone," Blake turned to the direction of the academy. Yang placed her hands on her hips, "Ruby, you misplaced your girlfriend."

"Shhh! Not so loud!" Ruby exclaimed half in fear. "She doesn't like submitting! Don't say she depends on me, she'll ignore me for the rest of the day!" Yang clapped a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it. Just go find her. You guys can catch up."

"You think she'll be really mad?" Ruby said nervously. Yang and Blake gave each other a glance and then looked at Ruby. Yang grinned, "Ya know, you worry about the way she acts around you but do you forget that's the way she likes it? Having you wrapped around her finger."

"It's true," Blake agreed. "She could have any guy/girl but she chose you. So why do you worry?"

"Because it feels like I can be replaced that's why," Ruby's shoulders slumped. Blake and Yang were instantly at her side. Both of them placing their hands on her shoulders. "No way!" Yang said loudly.

Blake leaned over to Ruby's height, close to her face. "We all know how Weiss can get and we all know how she is, but we also know that she actually cares for you. More than a team mate."

Ruby's face turned bright red. She quickly pushed them both away. "Stop talking like she's my girlfriend!" Yang burst out laughing while Blake smiled in response. "Oh? We're wrong?"

"I expect this much from my sister but you, Blake?" Ruby shook her head roughly to shake away the feelings that snuck on her. Blake gave a grinning Yang a knowing glance with a soft smile. "You make her smile, Ruby. It's how we know," Yang said, arms crossed.

Ruby hid her face but secretly she was incredibly happy with what they were telling her. She couldn't stop smiling like a goof. "I'm gonna go find Weiss!" She burst into a sprint as she ran towards the academy were a snow white queen was seemingly waiting for her.

Yang and Blake watched her run off and stood still a few seconds more before turning away into the forest for their shortcut. Blake led the way and parted low hanging branches for Yang not to get clipped in the face. Yang accepted the branches graciously and hummed a tune to herself. Not a sound in the forest except for Yang's humming. The sun rays attempting to pierce the canopy caught a hold of Blake's bow atop her head and something else caught her attention underneath it. She stopped to watch as Blake climbed the steep ground to disappear over a fallen tree. When Blake reached the other side she turned when she no longer heard Yang's humming. "What is it?"

Yang popped up beside her, almost startling her. "Sorry about that! I tripped!" Blake rolled her eyes and continued on their way. Yang was smiling to herself and looking at the scenery around her, touching the tree barks and watching small animals dash away from them. A plant caught her attention and she whistled. "You seem awfully content." Blake's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh? It shows?"

Blake snickered, "You're as open as a book."

"And you love to read books right?" Yang teased with a wink. Blake quickened her steps. Yang quickly hurried to catch up to her, grinning to herself. She reached Blake's side and looked at the scenery that she was looking at.

"Wooooooow!" Yang breathed out. She shielded her purple eyes from the sudden glare of the sun. "Wow, look how far we made it." She turned to Blake, "Think they'll catch up?"

Blake shrugged and her eyes immediately widened. She sneaked a glance at Yang, her yellow eyes sizing the blonde up slowly. Yang was oblivious to her attention and stared down at the ravine drop below them. "Bet you I could skip a rock across that pond down there," Yang laughed and glanced at Blake. Blake quickly averted her eyes and almost slipped trying to get away but Yang caught her round the waist as she held on the branch of a low hanging tree. "Whoa!"

A flustered Blake desperately scrambled out of her grasp. Yang stood with her arm still as if she had Blake in her grasp. "You alright? It's not like you to lose your footing."

"You're right, but I think I'm just hungry."

"Oh!" Yang whipped out a sandwich from her bag and Blake's ears perked up. "I thought we'd get hungry so I made us some tuna fish sandwiches. If I'm not mistaken that's your fave, right?"  
Blake smiled in defeat and accepted the tin foiled lunch. Yang sat down on the moss and let her legs dangle over the ledge. She was immediately into her lunch and chugging the water. "Don't worry, everything I got bio-degrades if we accidentally leave it behind.

Blake smiled at her thoughtfulness and sat a foot away from her, legs tucked under her. "Should we wait for them to catch up here?"

Yang wiped her mouth of crumbs and off her chest with Blake watching her movements. Yang grinned at her, "Naw, let 'em sweat it. It's not a difficult trail."

Blake nodded and chewed her food slowly staring out at the horizon. Yang suddenly got up and swung her arm back hard and then propelled a rock she had in her hand with such speed and strength that Blake quickly lost sight of it. Her eyes fell to the ravine at the pond at the bottom and heard a light 'sploosh'. "Impressive," she muttered in between bites.

Yang shielded her eyes and looked down. "Did I get it? I didn't hear anything."

"You got it," Blake said blatantly, getting up and wiping her knees. Her hand went to the water bottle Yang held but quickly snatched her hand away, slightly embarrassed. Yang smiled at her blush and held it out to her, "Don't worry, we can share. I'll share anything with you."

Blake refused the offer and shook her head, "We'd better move on." She started down the other side of the forest back into the deep woods, the shadows cloaking her. Yang followed deliberately taking her steps slow but wide. "Ya know I wanted to ask you..." Usually Yang was much too chatty for Blake's taste but she disregarded it. Something about Yang made her calm but almost jittery, she couldn't quite place her finger on it.

"Why do you wear that cover up?"

Blake turned her head to look at her, "I don't particularly care for makeup."

Yang laughed, "Right. I know that. I mean..." she paused to climb over a hedge and leapt to stand beside Blake who awaited her. "I mean your bow," Yang said, a finger pointing to her own head.

"Excuse me?" Blake stared at Yang but all the blonde did was smile back. Blake returned to the path, "I like it. Is there something wrong with that?"

"Well, sure. But the thing is you shouldn't hide them." Yang kept walking when Blake froze in her tracks, eyes widening. Yang paused and turned to look at Blake with a knowing smile. Blake couldn't help as she stared at the angelic glow about her from the sun shining behind her. Her warm and inviting smile and that strange sudden urge to be with her. Blake lowered her eyes and slowly climbed up next to her. Just as she thought, being closer to Yang physically made her want to only be near her and never leave her side. Her scent was warm and nostalgic even. "Maybe?" Yang asked, prompting Blake out of her thoughts.

"Oh..." Blake turned to face away from her. "I like... my bow." She said almost timidly. Yang laughed and shrugged. "Fair enough. Shall we?" Yang held out her palm to the open road. They had cleared the woods in just a few hours. Blake hurried after Yang, watching her bouncing blonde hair from behind.

"Hey! You guys! We almost sent out a search party! What took you guys so long!" Ruby was yelling at the top of her lungs, waving at them both. "Come on! It's almost sundown! The party's gonna start without us!"

"Honestly, you two are keeping us back. I didn't expect this from you Blake," Weiss said, hands on hips. Yang butted in, "Hey, we're here now. Show us the way!"

"How'd you guys get here so fast?" Blake asked Ruby in a small whisper. Ruby gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Uh, Weiss thought it was a race and gylphed us the entire way."

"So if it was a race," Yang overhearing the two and then pivoted on Weiss, "You would've cheated!"

"Well who thought it was smart to take a shortcut! It sounded to me like a race! I wouldn't venture into Grimm infested territory!" Weiss argued at the accusation.

Yang crossed her arms, "Oh come on, it wasn't infested. Was it?" she asked, looking over at Blake with a grin but it quickly faded when Blake angrily stalked up to her. She reached into Yang's jacket and viciously yanked out the plant she had in her folds, scrunching it. "We were in Grimm territory and you thought it was safe to carry this around with you!?"

Everyone backed away at the calm girl losing her cool. Yang held up her hands in defense, her eyebrows furrowing with genuine worry. "H-hey..."

"You're impossible!" Blake threw down the plant and stormed off toward the building. Yang sheepishly rubbed her head. "Boy... You think she's mad?"

"Plenty mad," Ruby quipped. Weiss rolled her eyes. "Can we please get going? I want to ask the professors about ..." Weiss's voice faded out of Yang's reach as she hung back, looking down at the crumpled plant.

.

"Well it was pretty risky of you," Pyrrha replied at the crushed plant. "Valerian isn't something you should hang onto. You should've bagged it. I'm surprised you were not discovered prior to Blake. How could she tell you had it all along?"

"I didn't mean to! I was just trying to kill two birds with one requested the plant and we were going through the forest so why not?" Yang said facing the window, her sunny disposition shot. Pyrrha sighed sympathetically. "I'm sorry. I would have done it myself but these classes are slightly burdening at times. I'll go talk to Blake myself and apologize."

Yang held up a hand. "No, no, it's fine. I messed up. I'll go apologize."

"You are very lucky that Grimms didn't sneak up on you because of the plant. That would've been fatal. You do know that its an attractant right?" Pyrrha added before Yang exited the room, making her pause. "Please exercise caution, it may still be on your clothes."

Yang nodded and left the room. As she made it down the hall she knew very well what the plant was capable of. She wasn't worried about the Grimms. Those she could handle but the plant has no effects on humans. When Yang found out that Blake was a faunus, she had more than willingly collected the plant and studying her reactions with the plant being on Yang had been a pleasant surprise. _But was it all just the plant?_

Yang stopped and sighed. A group of people rushing off to the party all hollered their greetings at her in passing. She managed a cheery wave but her lively attitude was gone. She went to the single dressing rooms to change out of her outfit. She managed to wash her face but only stared at her reflection. What had she been thinking? Had she really been wanting to see Blake's reaction? What had even compelled her to play such a mean trick? Yang shook her head, no it wasn't a trick she had meant to play. Blake's angry outburst had proven that Blake thought the same. That Yang had played a mean trick on her. Yang sighed and slumped on the chair, face in her hands. She had to make things clear.

She quickly got showered and threw her clothes in the hamper shoot. She dressed herself in clean clothes and headed out again, hair still slightly wet. When she got to the dance the place was already crowded with all kinds of merry warriors. Ruby was the first to notice her and waved at her excitedly. She could see Blake's ears perk up and without even looking turned away from Weiss and Ruby. By the time Yang bounded over to them Blake was gone.

"Hey, how's Blake doing? Still mad?" Yang asked sheepishly. Weiss snorted, "I can't believe what you tried to pull earlier! Were you honestly trying to get you both killed?"

"No, I..." Yang looked up and caught a brief sight of Blake amongst the dancers. She was talking to a boy with blond hair. Ruby was trying to defend Yang but Weiss's attitude overpowered her. "How selfish can someone be!"

Yang felt the stab and grimaced. "I am selfish," she declared and straightened up. "I know what I want." She left the two behind and pushed through the crowd, aiming for Blake who was dancing with the faunus boy. He saw her approach and he grinned. "Hey Valerian!" he said out loud in mirth. Blake stopped dancing and spun around to see Yang come up beside them. Yang held out a hand to Blake and acknowledged Sun. "Mind if I cut in?"

Sun was surprised when Yang turned to Blake and took her hands. He backed away and shrugged, grinning.

"How does he know I had that on me?" Yang asked looking over Blake's head. She looked down when Blake didn't respond and saw her scrunching her face as if in pain. "Blake? We need to talk. About before, I didn't mean-" Suddenly Blake ripped away from her and dashed through the dancers. Startled Yang went after her, "Hey! Wait!"

Yang caught her wrist but quickly realized it was another woman. Yang let go, apologizing to the girl's date and searched the crowd. Blake was hurrying along the to banister and Yang gave chase. She took a shortcut, bounding up the beams and landing in front of Blake. Quickly she caught her before the faunus had a chance to think to escape her. She pulled her into the shadows away from passerbys and witnesses.

Blake didn't do much to struggle and instead hid her face in Yang's face. "Do you realize what you almost did?!" she cried, not looking up. She pounded her fists above Yang's breasts hard. "What I almost did?! Who was going to take responsibility for that!?" She finally yanked herself away from her, looking up at Yang bitterly, eyes beading in tears. "How could you!?"

Yang's eyebrows furrowed, "Blake, please. I didn't mean for this to happen. Pyrrha asked me to collect some. I'm sorry. I forgot it would affect you. I'm so sorry."

"So it was just a game to you. You know what it does! You know what I..." Blake cut herself short. Yang smiled tenderly, "I knew of it's properties yes and I know about you." Her hand reached out to cup Blake's cheek. "But it wasn't my intention to trick you."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Blake asked watery, the tears spilling finally. "You have no idea how confused I was..."

Yang blushed at the confession. "I guess... I wanted to see another side of you that no one gets to see... I wanted you to look at me properly. Only me. I was being selfish, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"You're such... you're such a ... a..." Blake felt as helpless as she looked and wanted to hide. She couldn't come up with a witty comeback. Yang endeared by her look, pulled her in closer and tilted her chin up slowly to look at her.

"Selfish bloke, I know ..." She leaned over and ever so gently kissed her soft lips. Blake made a strangled sound in her throat but didn't pull away. She closed her eyes and let Yang consume her. Without realizing her arms rose and surrounded Yang's shoulder, encouraging the blonde. Yang deepened the kiss and let her arms slide to her waist, hugging her tighter, her hands sliding lower.

A laughing couple broke them apart, startled. "Yo, Yang!" he said as he passed them with a date on his arm. She waved cheerily and glanced at Blake that was already halfway down the opposite hall, hurrying away. Yang sighed in defeat but smiled as she bit her lower lip. She had never actually kissed a girl before. Suddenly she was filled with so much vigor she decided to hit the gym.

.

With the party going on overhead, Yang was downstairs in the basement training room, side stepping lasers and thrusting punches into the simulator. She had so much energy that not even an hour of exercise was quenching it. She did sit-ups and push-ups, a hundred each. She tackled the body defenses and was using the punching bag when she saw a shadow creep up onto the mats off into the distance. She instantly knew who it was and she beamed. She took a running leap and propelled herself into the air a few feet to land directly on the faunus who was watching her.

Blake was slammed backwards onto the fluffy mats, staring wide eyed up at her would be attacker. Yang had locked her in on all fours, breathing heavily down at her. "You're here!"  
Blake smirked, "You really are a bloke. Can't you read the signs? I was actually waiting on you."

Yang looked her over, Blake had changed out of her clothes and was sporting a simple purple top with black leggings. "Really?!" Yang exclaimed excitedly. "Then you're not mad?"

Blake chuckled and draped her arms around Yang's neck and pulled her down for a kiss. She sat up and lightly pushed Yang's sweaty body off her. "You need another shower..."

Yang laughed and sat upright, legs dangling over the edge. "Yea, maybe I do. I'll be right back!" And like a gazelle Yang bounded away to the showers. Blake sat alone and wondered if she should join her. She quickly shook her head in shock. Just what was she thinking?!They had just barely confessed. Blake face planted into the mats. Her cool and collected demeanor was ruined by this blonde.

"You alright?" Blake started up in shock at the voice. Had she dozed off? Yang knelt over her. "Looked like you were having a nightmare."

"I ... was?" Blake sat up but Yang gently pushed her back down. "It's okay don't get up."

"How long was I asleep?" Blake asked looking around wildly. The lit were dimmed to only one light in the far right corner. "Awhile," Yang replied with a smirk.

"And you just watched me?"

"Has anyone ever told you look extremely adorable sleeping?"

"Yea... my father ... long time ago..." Blake tried to sit up again and Yang laid down beside her, freshly dressed and her hair in ringlets from letting it dry naturally. She reached over and touched the curls, letting it curl around her fingers. Yang's hand slid up over Blake's thigh and gently rubbed the fabric, making Blake visibly shiver. The two said nothing and just basked in each other's company. Yang's hand slid up further teasingly and her eyes sparked when she realized Blake's leggings were only thigh high socks. She watched Blake's eyes soften and go opaque as Yang's cool fingers traced the edges of her sock and began to slowly slide them down. Blake's breathing deepened as she kept still, wondering if Yang would stop if she moved. Yang had showered twice now, why did she feel like she still had the Valerian on her?

Blake's eyes lazily raised to meet Yang's who was watching her intently. Blake began to purr and Yang felt her insides aflame. She rose to her hands and moved to kiss Blake but the faunus pulled back deliberately making Yang follow her backwards to lay on the mats with her.

Yang took the hint and lay atop her gently, hands at her waist and thighs. Blake exposed her throat willingly and Yang took the offering, sweetly kissing her neck and nibbling under her chin, breathing hotly onto her skin. Blake hugged her tightly to her, fingers digging into her hair, sighing.

Yang moved gently for an energetic girl, her motions considered and calculated. She was being careful now? She chuckled to herself. Yang slightly pulled away. "H-hey, that's not exactly encouraging."

Blake laughed louder and squeezed Yang into a tight hug instead. "Don't worry about it. We have the rest of our lives."

Yang blushed and hid her face into the crook of her neck. "Of all the cheesy lines..."  
"I learn from the best," Blake whispered into her ear. "But I can't relax here. Ruby will come looking for us, you know that."

Yang groaned and sat up grudgingly, "Come to my room."

"We all share a room."

"Ughhhhhh! Then let's go somewhere for the night!"

"We have class tomorrow."

"Arghhhhhh! Then the woods!"

"Not on my life, you valerian thief."

"Blaaaaaake," Yang whined. Blake adjusted her clothes and swung her hair over her shoulders and hopped off the mats. Yang peered over and Blake glanced up at her with her yellow brilliant eyes. "We'll get our chance."

Yang pouted like Ruby and collapsed backwards, frustrated. Suddenly there was a loud bang from the doors.  
"YAAAAAAANG! BLAAAAAAKE! It's past curfew! You're going to get in trouble!" Came Ruby's voice followed by an annoyed heiress. "You're the one who's going to get us in trouble you dolt!"

"Speak of the devil..." Blake muttered as Yang joined her on the floor. Yang's head hung. "Maybe I shoud've kept the Valerian."

Blake punched her hard across the face and stormed off again. Yang scrambled to her feet, "Wait, Blake! It was just a joke! Blakey! Come back!"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "And here I was hoping to be the one to not get her laid. She does that on her own." Ruby stared at her aghast, mouth wide open in disbelief.

.


End file.
